Bio-degradable herbal based polymer enforced with carboxy methyl cellulose, tio2 and talc

Abstract

In this invention, a biodegradable polymer based on starch or molasses has been prepared. Because starch-based biopolymers have poor mechanical properties, the product was reinforced using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxymethyl cellulose (HMC), titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and talc. The results show that mixing carboxymethyl cellulose with starch or molasses significantly improves the mechanical properties of the polymer. Also, the addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and talc powder leads to the improvement of polymer properties and strength.

Description

Bio-degradable herbal based polymer enforced with Carboxy Methyl Cellulose, TiO2 and Talc

[0001] Today, plastics as a synthetic and artificial material play a very important role in the products of various industries. The unique and very good properties of plastics and their alloys have made them a very suitable substitute for metals, wood, glass and rubber in various applications. But on the other hand, the wide applications and increasing production of plastics have caused major environmental problems, so that plastics have been introduced as one of the major environmental pollutants by the World Environment Organization.

[0002] Among the synthetic (non-natural) plastics, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and PVC are the most consumed (with more than 75% consumption) in the world today. Therefore, today's environmental problems are mainly caused by the consumption of these types of plastics.

[0003] In the past years, studies and researches have been done on the preparation of environmentally friendly polymers that have the ability to degrade in the environment in a short period of time.

[0004] Plastics from renewable resources, which have been known since the 19th century, seem to be back in the spotlight, supported by both economic and political initiatives. These plastics derived from renewable resources (such as vegetable matter, food or not, organic waste or carbon dioxide) are referred to as bioplastics. Positioned as alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, these bioplastics can be biodegradable, but this end of life is not mandatory for a plastic to benefit from the designation of bioplastic.

[0005] Biodegradable bioplastics are among the « oldest » bioplastics (these materials were already synthesized in the 19th century). These materials are obtained either by direct extraction of molecules present in plants and then chemical modification (as was already the case with cellulose for the production of celluloid) or by fermentation (and polymerization) of fermentable components contained in renewable plant resources (often rich in sugars).  These bioplastics are therefore often produced from renewable resources rich in carbohydrates such as starch, cellulose, sucrose, or glucose. In 2015, starch-based bioplastics alone accounted for nearly 50% of the total bioplastic supply, followed by PLA (polylactic acid), an industrially compostable biopolymer. Vegetable protein-based plastics (soy, wheat and pea proteins) are also included in this category.

[0006] The materials resulting from the direct fermentation of carbohydrates such as PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are also concerned. Their industrial production dates back to the 70’s, following the 1973 oil crisis, and these potential PHAs are intended to be substitutes to some petrochemical plastics such as polypropylene. If these materials have multiple advantages to seduce the consumer, such as a good biodegradability (some of these bioplastics are even able to decompose on a domestic compost), some technical performances are still inferior to conventional plastics for more specific applications. Moreover, the production cost of these bioplastics and / or the costs related to raw materials still position these bioplastics as more expensive than their petroleum-based counterparts.

[0007] Bioplastics derived from renewable but non-biodegradable resources are those that have seen the most research efforts over the past 10 years. As these bioplastics are not biodegradable, their end-of-life is strictly analogous to conventional petroleum-based materials, i.e., on the one hand their persistence in the environment is identical, but on the other hand these bioplastics can be integrated into the traditional recycling channels.

[0008] Bio-polyethylene (also referred to as renewable polyethylene) is a polyethylene made from bioethanol, which becomes ethylene after a dehydration process. It can be made from a variety of feedstocks, including sugarcane or certain grains. PEF, which we already mentioned in a previous article, also belongs to this category. Biobased polypropylene (PP) is also booming with the development of new production methods over the last 5 years combining fermentation and chemical conversion. In 2019, biobased PP entered the market on a commercial scale and its production capacity is expected to quadruple by 2025 due to PP’s broad application fields.

[0009] In 2020, the production of biodegradable bioplastics (from renewable resources or petroleum) reached 1.227 million tons, for 884,000 tons of biobased but non-biodegradable bioplastics. The packaging sector (flexible and non-flexible) is the largest market for bioplastics with an annual production in 2020 that amounted to 998,000 tons, followed by the household goods sector (238,000 tons) and textiles (241,000 tons). Bioplastics such as PLA, bio-polypropylene and PHA continue to show the highest growth rate among all bioplastics.

[0010] In this invention, to solve the problem of biodegradability, an optimal carbohydrate-based formulation have been obtained. A high-performance bio-composite without environmental impact owing to its unique and useful features such as abundant availability, renewability, and eco-friendliness and lightweight have been developed by inventors.

[0011] The various examples of which are as follows.

[0012] The following examples are some embodiments of the present compositions; however, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.Example 1

[0013] The first sample consisted of mixing starch, water, glycerol and hydrochloric acid and Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose (HEC) aqueous solution. This mixture is heated until the water evaporates, but the complete drying of the mixture is prevented.

[0014] The pH of the mixture is adjusted to neutral pH by sodium hydroxide and then talc powder is added. Finally, the mixture is poured on a wide plate to dry.Example 2

[0015] The second sample consisted of mixing starch, water, glycerol, hydrochloric acid and Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) aqueous solution. This mixture is heated until the water evaporates, but the complete drying of the mixture is prevented.

[0016] The pH of the mixture is adjusted to neutral pH by sodium hydroxide. Finally, the mixture is poured on a wide plate to dry.Example 3

[0017] The third sample consisted of mixing starch, water, glycerol and hydrochloric acid and Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (CMC) aqueous solution. This mixture is heated until the water evaporates, but the complete drying of the mixture is prevented.

[0018] The pH of the mixture is adjusted to neutral pH by sodium hydroxide and then titanium dioxide nanoparticles are added. Finally, the mixture is poured on a wide plate to dry.Example 4

[0019] The fourth sample consisted of mixing starch, water, glycerol and hydrochloric acid. This mixture is heated until the water evaporates, but the complete drying of the mixture is prevented.

[0020] The pH of the mixture is adjusted to neutral pH by sodium hydroxide, and then talc powder and titanium dioxide nanoparticles are added. Finally, the mixture is poured on a wide plate to dry.Example 5

[0021] The fifth sample consisted of mixing starch, water, glycerol and hydrochloric acid and Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose (HEC) aqueous solution. This mixture is heated until the water evaporates, but the complete drying of the mixture is prevented.

[0022] The pH of the mixture is adjusted to neutral pH by sodium hydroxide, and then Lignin is added. Finally, the mixture is poured on a wide plate to dry.

Claims

A plant based biodegradable polymer, comprising:starch or sugar beet molasses from 7 to 14 percent;molasses from 5 to 8 percent;water from 50 to 85 percent;plasticizer from 2 to 12 percent;hydrochloric acid from 4 to 11 percent;sodium hydroxide from 4 to 11 percent;a reinforce agent from 0.5 to 5 percent, the reinforce agent is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, talc or lignin; anda thickening agent from 2 to 6 percent, the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose or Carboxy Methyl Cellulose..The plant based biodegradable polymer as claimed in claim 1, wherein:starch or molasses, water, plasticizer, hydrochloric acid are mixed together; andthe mixture is heated at 70 to 80 degrees Celsius until the water evaporates completely and the mixture is prevented from drying.The plant based biodegradable polymer as claimed in claim 1 and 2, wherein:the pH of the mixture is neutralized by adding sodium hydroxide;the thickener dissolved in water adds in a separate container to the mixture;the enhancer adds and the mixture mixes and spreads on a smooth surface to dry; andthe mixture is ready to extrude.